


DM Ficlet Collection

by Peppermint_YGO (Peppermint_Shamrock)



Series: Peppermint's Ficlet Collections [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Angst, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-04 09:53:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15838845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peppermint_Shamrock/pseuds/Peppermint_YGO
Summary: A collection of fics I originally posted on Tumblr, but felt were too short to post individually.1: Encourageshipping. Prompt - "Goodbye". Yuugi convinces Atem to talk to Anzu on the night before the Ceremonial Duel.2: Revolutionshipping. Prompt - "Here, let me see." Atem and Anzu play video games.





	1. Encourageshipping: Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> I feel bad about not posting anything for YGO lately, so I've decided to start posting some of my old Tumblr-only ficlets in a couple of collections (one for DM and one for Arc V).
> 
> This first one was something I [originally wrote for Encourageshipping Week 2017.](https://peppermint-shamrock.tumblr.com/post/163620680223/encourageshipping-week-day-1-prompt-goodbye)

“You’ve finished making your deck, partner?” Atem asked. He didn’t know how he had known, really, but he had felt the change and knew that it was time for him to surface. He had given Yuugi privacy, as it would be an unfair advantage to watch the opponent put together his deck. But he still needed to prepare his own deck.

“Yeah! I’ll fight you with everything I have,” Yuugi answered, with a false cheer that might have fooled anyone else, but sent a pang through Atem.

“Partner…thank you for taking this on.” Words could not express the depth of his gratitude, so he hoped that the feeling carried across through their link. But Yuugi was distant and closed off. There was reason for that, he supposed – Yuugi had had to kept himself closed off to hide his thought process while deck-building. But Atem couldn’t help but think that maybe it was to hide his pain, as well.

His instinct was to ask what was wrong, but he already knew the answer. They all knew this was necessary, they all knew this would hurt all the same. And even if Atem hated to hurt his partner and his friends like this, he had known for a long time that this day would come…

“Other me…Anzu came by here earlier,” Yuugi said, even the false cheer leaving his voice. Atem just waited, not knowing why Yuugi was telling him this. “She…I know she wanted to talk to you. So…before you start building your deck, I think…you should go to her.”

“Talk to me? Why?” Atem asked, confused.

“To say goodbye, of course,” Yuugi said, as though it was obvious.

“But we’ll see everyone tomorrow, won’t they say goodbye then?”

“Some things need to be said in private, other me.”

“What do you mean?” Atem asked, still confused.

“Other me…it’s obvious that she’s in love with you,” Yuugi said, not looking at him. “And that’s not something you confess in front of everyone.”

“What?” Atem said. The notion was absurd. “Of course that isn’t the case…it’s you she’s in love with!”

“No…it’s you, other me. It’s always been you. It’s never been me.”

“I think _you_ should go talk to her. Because I’m certain that it’s you. You just need to go for it, ask her…”

“I won’t do that to her,” Yuugi protested. “I won’t burden her with my feelings when I know she’s in love with you.”

“But I know she’s in love with _you_ ,” Atem stubbornly insisted. Yuugi sighed.

“Please…just go talk with her.”

“Alright. I will.”

They switched places, and Yuugi vanished into the depths of his heart, leaving Atem alone.

Atem made his way down the corridors of the ship, towards Anzu’s room. He was sure his partner was overthinking things. Maybe Anzu had just made an offhand comment and Yuugi had read too much into it and taken it the wrong way. Maybe she didn’t really need to talk to him at all.

Anzu wasn’t in love with him. That was…absurd. She loved Yuugi…she must, because who couldn’t help but fall in love with someone as wonderful as Yuugi? And she always seemed so happy when around Yuugi, as Yuugi was around her. It was obvious that they were perfect for each other. No, Anzu loved Yuugi, not him, and that was how it was.

Or maybe that was just what he wanted to believe. Because it would make things so much easier…

He was dead. He was a target for trouble who put everyone in danger. He didn’t belong here, he couldn’t be here except by taking over the life of his partner. He could never be a good lover, and therefore could never let himself love or be loved. It was easiest if he didn’t. It would hurt everyone less if he didn’t.

Atem knocked on Anzu’s door. It swung open soon after.

“Partner said that you wanted to talk to me?” Atem asked.

“Oh…” Anzu said, looking surprised. “I…don’t worry about it. It was nothing. I shouldn’t…”

“Anzu, if there’s something that’s bothering you…”

“No, it’s nothing! Besides, I’m sure you must be busy preparing tomorrow. Don’t let me keep you,” she said, rushed, and in that same false cheer Yuugi had used earlier. They were a lot alike…both trying to hide their pain in the same way.

“Anzu…”

“You…really have to go, don’t you? So I shouldn’t try to get you to stay. I shouldn’t interfere.”

“It’s the right thing to do. I don’t belong here.”

“But you do!” Anzu burst out. “You belong here with all of us, you belong here with…”

“I’m sorry, Anzu. But I died a long time ago, and even though I value the time I’ve spent with partner and all of you, I still…I can’t stay. I can’t impose upon you all any longer.”

“You’re not an imposition! You’re not. I’m happy to have you here.”

“It’s easy for you to say, but for partner – I take over some of the life he should be living. I can’t…do that to him.”

“He cares about you so much. He’d gladly let you stay if you wanted to. He’s only doing this because it’s what you want. I know he doesn’t want you to leave, either.”

That was probably true. Even so…

“Everyone has to say goodbye sometime,” Atem said. “And in the moment, it might seem like pushing that off to some far distant time is better, but it’s not. If I don’t leave now…I might never be able to. And when we say goodbye, it won’t be with the promise of reunion in the next world.”

“The promise of reunion in the next world?” Anzu repeated.

“Yes. I promise that we’ll see each other again. And when that time comes…”

_When that time comes, I can be open with you and partner. I can devote myself fully to you, treat you both the way you deserve. But for now…I can’t let myself feel these things. It will only hurt us all…_


	2. Revolutionshipping: "Here, let me see"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atem and Anzu play video games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally wrote this [in response to an ask game.](https://peppermint-shamrock.tumblr.com/post/159646787813/here-let-me-see-revolutionshipping-for-the)

“Argh,” Anzu said, frustrated as she stared at the screen of her DS, “I just can’t figure this one out…”

“Here, let me see,” Atem said from beside her, leaning over from his own game to look at hers. Anzu quickly pulled it out of his reach.

“Oh no, you don’t. Every time you try to help me with a game, you get caught up in the challenge and end up doing it for me!”

“I do not.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Alright, maybe I did it once or twice. But not every time,” he protested. “Just let me see if I can help…” 

Anzu just gave him a look.

“No,” she said firmly. “I’ll figure it out myself.”

Atem sighed and shook his head at her stubbornness, but he couldn’t keep from smiling a little at it, too.

“Alright. I’m sure you can do it, Anzu.” He turned back to his own game as a sign that he wouldn’t try to interfere further. Anzu watched him for a few moments, then picked her game back up. She leaned against Atem, and out of the corner of her eye, saw him blush at it, but he made no sign of discomfort or protest against her action.

“Of course I can,” she said.


End file.
